Shaker sharp with clutch hits, pitching

Blue Bison cool off Dutchmen; Shen wins

By James Allen

Published 11:53 pm, Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Shen's Greg Geisel deals a pitch during their Section II high school AA semifinals game against LaSalle on Tuesday May 28, 2013 in Troy, N.Y. (Michael P. Farrell/Times Union)

Shen's Greg Geisel deals a pitch during their Section II high...

LaSalle's Dom Razzano tags Shen's John Novenche out as he goes to third during their Section 2 high school AA semifinals game on Tuesday May 28, 2013 in Troy, N.Y. (Michael P. Farrell/Times Union)

LaSalle's Dom Razzano tags Shen's John Novenche out as he goes to...

LaSalle's Ben Beaury, center, does not like the call after being called out stealing second during their Section II high school AA semifinals game against Shenedehowa on Tuesday May 28, 2013 in Troy, N.Y. (Michael P. Farrell/Times Union)

LaSalle's Ben Beaury, center, does not like the call after being...

Shen's Chris Miller is congratulated by teammates after scoring during their Section II high school AA semifinals game against LaSalle on Tuesday May 28, 2013 in Troy, N.Y. (Michael P. Farrell/Times Union)

Shen's Chris Miller is congratulated by teammates after scoring...

Shen head coach Greg Christodulu talks with player Brennan McCormack, left, and Kyle McAlonie during a time out during their Section II high school AA semifinals game against LaSalle on Tuesday May 28, 2013 in Troy, N.Y. (Michael P. Farrell/Times Union)

Shen head coach Greg Christodulu talks with player Brennan...

Shen's Brennan McCormack slides into third under the tag of LaSalle's Dom Razzano during their Section II high school AA semifinals game on Tuesday May 28, 2013 in Troy, N.Y. (Michael P. Farrell/Times Union)

The Shaker baseball team discovered the most effective way to quell a red-hot Guilderland squad Tuesday afternoon revolved around excelling with two outs — both hitting and pitching.

The Blue Bison delivered a series of clutch two-out hits on offense and senior right-hander Chad Sinko wiggled out of a couple of jams. That combination helped produce a 7-3 Section II Class AA semifinal victory over the Dutchmen at Bruno Stadium.

Shaker, the No. 4 seed, will take on No. 3 Shenendehowa in Friday's final at Bruno Stadium. The Plainsmen crushed Big 10 champion La Salle 10-0 in the evening's second semifinal as Greg Geisel and Will Hewitt combined on a three-hitter. Shaker (16-5) and Shenendehowa (19-3) split two Suburban Council North Division meetings in the regular season, the second going to Shaker 1-0 as Sinko collected the win.

"This is the rubber match. They're a very good team," Shenendehowa coach Greg Christodulu said of Shaker. "It should be exciting for the kids and hopefully we'll have a great crowd to play in front of Friday."

Sinko gutted his way through a season-high 112 pitches Tuesday. He scattered four hits and walked seven, including four straight in the fourth inning when Guilderland shaved its deficit from 7-0 to 7-3. Shaker turned a pair of double plays.

"Chad has done a great job all year," Shaker coach Steve Frank said. "He had one bad inning today, but he battled."

"All the hard work has paid off for our team," Sinko said. "It's a great feeling being in the final and the team has worked very hard to be in this position."

Guilderland (10-12), the eighth out of nine seeds in the Class AA field, had its five-game winning streak snapped.

Nick Gavin provided Shaker a 1-0 lead in the first inning with an RBI single with two outs.

Shaker broke the game open in the third as Garrett Klahr smacked a two-run single with two outs, Brendan Killian added a run-scoring infield single after a Steven Cox walk and Ben Cassillo followed with a two-run single to make it 7-0. "I was pulling my shoulder a little bit in my first two at bats, so I just stayed through the ball," Cassillo said. "Nick's big two-out hit got us the lead and I thought once we got Chad the lead, he wouldn't give it up. There was a lot of two-out hitting from the team all day."

"It was nice to get a big lead early in the game and be able to pitch with the lead," Sinko said.

"Guilderland was playing great baseball. They were confident and riding high," Frank said. "To get some runs early gave us a comfort level and we were able to add on."

Sinko needed 45 pitches before escaping the fourth after allowing three runs. He responded by retiring Guilderland in order in the fifth on just eight pitches.

"That was a key stanza. What was going to happen after that one inning? To come back out and get through it was huge for us," Frank said.

Shenendehowa's Geisel did not run into much trouble in improving to 7-0 this season. He worked the first 51/3 innings and gave up just two hits and struck out six over 81 pitches. "Greg's thrown well," Christodulu said. "He had a little lull in his performance a few weeks ago, but he has bounced back well."

Geisel, who has battled injuries the last two years, and junior Aaron Kalish have combined for 11 wins this season.

"We have been really solid the whole way through," Geisel said. "If we continue to get the run support, we should be fine."

La Salle starter Chris Carmel allowed consecutive singles to Tyler McAlonie and Nick Guinta in the first inning as the Plainsmen scored immediately. Shenendehowa added five runs in the second, one in third and Carmel was out after walking Chris Miller to open the fourth. The Cadets (16-6) also had three errors in the first two innings.

"They came off an emotional win (Monday against Bethlehem). It is very difficult to come back the next day and maintain that high over seven innings," Christodulu said of La Salle. "We took advantage of some opportunities presented to us."